Real-snow centre to open in Swindon

5th December 2018, by Abi Butcher

The Snow Centre Swindon will have a 170m main slope and 75m lesson slope

Work will begin on a new real indoor real snow slope in Swindon next year. At the end of November, planning was approved for the slope — to be called The Snow Centre Swindon — which will be created within Swindon’s North Star Leisure complex.

The centre will be built by the operators of The Snow Centre Hemel Hempstead, who hope the Swindon facility will be open in 2020. The Snow Centre Hemel Hempstead is London’s closest real snow indoor ski and snowboard slope, with a 160m main slope and Lodge Bar & Kitchen overlooking the slopes. It’s used by 230,000 skiers and snowboarders each year.

As well as The Snow Centre Swindon, the North Star Leisure Complex will feature a 13-screen cinema (including the largest IMAX screen in Europe), a 19-lane bowling alley, a trampoline park, a gym, shops and the existing Oasis Leisure centre within 500,000sqft. The whole project — one of the largest leisure destinations in the UK — is to cost £270m and is being led by property development and investment company, SevenCapital.

The Snow Centre Swindon will feature two indoor real snow slopes; a 170m main slope, 75m lesson slope and a designated fun zone for sledging and snow play. When it is completed in 2020, it will become the UK’s seventh indoor skiing facility—and the first new real snow slope the UK has seen since The Snow Centre Hemel Hempstead opened its doors in May 2009.

The Snow Centre MD Ian Brown said: “We are delighted to be able to open a second real snow indoor slope and look forward to building on the success we’ve seen at our existing centre in Hemel Hempstead.

“A few opportunities for new ski facilities have presented themselves over the past few years, but for various reasons have not progressed beyond ideas. Swindon is a great location and we are thrilled that SevenCapital have been able to make this a reality.”

Double Olympic snowboarder Jamie Nicholls, who was present in support of the development the planning added: “This is an amazing opportunity for even more people to get into snow sports. It will give those living in the South West of England; Swindon, Bristol, Bath, Cardiff and beyond the chance to get into skiing or snowboarding. I can’t wait to hit the slopes in Swindon with the next generation of snow sports talent.”